UPDATED: Former Nestle, PepsiCo exec to head Ready Pac

For the last three years he was president of Nestle Direct Store Delivery, a $4.5 billion company that he started for Nestle in 2010. That role followed several years as executive vice president of operations at Nestle Dreyer’s.

Sarsam’s hiring ends a search that began with the May retirement announcement of Ready Pac chief executive officer Michael Solomon.

Phil Theodore, who joined Irwindale, Calif.-based Ready Pac in January and led it after Solomon’s retirement, remains president and chief operating officer. He was interim chief executive officer following Solomon, said Tristan Simpson, senior director of marketing and corporate communications.

Sarsam started his career in the PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division, where he spent 20 years. He had management roles there in manufacturing, sales, distribution, finance and strategy.

“Tony has outstanding operating experience and a reputation for building a strong performance culture, and we are excited to have him on board,” Sean Ozbolt, Ready Pac board chairman, said in a news release.